Rima's Crazy Life
by Hikari no Destany
Summary: A typical day in the life of Rima Mashiro...with a few others tagging along for the ride. Rimahiko plus other couplings. Rated T for swearing and sexual references.
1. Day 1

Rima's Crazy Life

My first **Shugo Chara!** multi chapter story. It took me forever to plan out just this chapter. Temporary writers block, but it's blown over now. Now then, down to business...

This is basically...like any episode of **Shugo Chara!** except it is totally Rimahiko centred, and it's probably a bit more violent and got more language, plus, more 'references'. Or, to simplify it a bit more, here's the way I put it in my story notebook:

Evil chibi devil + purple haired crossdresser = problems + stubbornness + several chapters of teasing and hatred = Love.

There will also be other couples, personally my favourites, like Tadamu, Kukaya, and Ikutau, even though I'm not a fan of incest. But, just to please everybody, I'll probably throw in some Yairi, Kutau and, *shiver* Amuto.

This is random, crazy, and most of them will be OOC. Basically, it's me. :)

Now then, I shall begin the first chapter of Rima's Crazy Life...

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Seiyo Academy School Yard_

"Itadakimasu!" I lifted the sandwich out of the lunch box and took a bite. My eyes lit up. Mama makes the best sandwiches. I finished both sandwiches in a few bites. I pulled out a red apple and gave it a quick rub on my blazer. Before I could bite into it, a heard someone - well, I know who it is - shout, "Rima-tan~!" making me almost drop the apple. I glared at the two coming over. It looked like a sugar hyper Yaya, and a very pissed off Amu. They sat on either side of me, Yaya on my right, Amu on my left. I frowned. Perfect lunch ruined.

"So so, Rima-tan, what are you doing?" Yaya asked. I turned to her, held up my lunch box, and asked, "What do you think?" She tilted her head, one finger on her chin, a confused - why? - look on her face, and she stared at my lunch box.

"Guardian work?" I could feel a vein pop. She may want to be a child again and get all the attention, but I don't think her brain has to de-age - is that even a word - with her.

"No, I'm...washing the dishes." Yaya smiled.

"Okee~!" Okee? I worry about Yaya sometimes. I could literally hear Amu snap behind me. Well, you know what I mean.

"Okee? Guardian work? Washing the dishes? There's something wrong with you Yaya. What?" Yaya blinked. Then I saw the tears. Great Amu, just great.

"YAYA JUST TRYING TO BE NICE! WHY DOES AMU-CHI HAVE TO BE SO MEAN?" I could see other students begin staring. I tried calming her down. Guess how that worked.

"Shh. Yaya, please calm down." Amu leaned forward and asked, "Why don't we give her candy?" I snapped my head around and glared at her with chibi flames in my eyes.

"Cause she's already full of candy! More, and she'll probably have to be sent to the loony hospital!" Amu's eyes narrowed - like so = T_T - and she said, "But wouldn't that solve our problem?"

"What problem?" I stop my argument with Amu when I feel like I'm being watched. Even Yaya and Amu shut up, when we all start blushing like tomatoes as we see everyone looking at us. I leaned back a bit to whisper to Amu.

"Royal Garden?"

"Royal Garden." We all stood up, laughing nervously, before we sprinted off to the Royal Garden, my lunch box in hand. We got to the garden and stood behind the door, panting, when I remembered something.

"Shit! My apple!" Amu gave me a smile, even though I was pissed at losing my apple.

"Relax Rima, it's only an apple." I glared at her.

"You owe me a new apple, Hinamori." She chuckled nervously, before sprinting up to the table, where Tadase waited, doing Guardian work. Me and Yaya followed, her hopping like a bunny rabbit or she was on a pogo stick, me walking like a normal human being.

"No more candy for Yaya...at school, when she's around us." I muttered, as I took my seat and pulled out the rest of my lunch. We sat there in silence, the only sounds being Tadase's pen, Amu's whistling, Yaya's chair squeaking from her swinging in it, bored, and my chewing. I'd finally finished my chocolate bar - which I saw Yaya drooling over. I mean it, there's a little puddle of Yaya spit on the table - when I'd realised that there had been no snarky comments about anything. My lost apple - I shot a glance at Amu when I thought this, but she was too busy staring at Tadase. I think he's starting to get uncomfortable - my very obvious zit on my forehead - not even my bangs can cover the damn thing. It's the size of Fuji! - or even my uniform - so my mom was lazy this morning, big whoop.

"Tadase?" He looked up from...what is he doing anyway?

"Yes, Mashiro-san?"

"Where's Nagihiko?" He tapped the pen against his chin. Then he remembered something - I swear I heard a light bulb turn on in his head. I've never heard that with Kukai or Yaya before. Or Amu.

"He's helping set up for gym. He told me to tell you all, but I guess I forgot, with all the work I had to do." ...Oh crap. Someone look outside. Tell me if you see any meteors. It's the sign of the apocalypse, and the reason I'm telling you to look for it, is because Tadase forgot something. That's not normal. It's like...Ikuto forgetting to hit on Amu or the crossdresser forgetting...well, anything. Yaya looked about ready to curl up and die of boredom. Which I wish she did, because I might just kill her right now with all that squeaking. Amu was still staring at Tadase, but I think he's just tuned it out now. And me...I'm trying to stop myself from sharpening a knife and sticking the bloody thing in Yaya's ticker. Before I can scream to God why he hates me then strangle the brat, the bell rings. Hm...maybe God doesn't hate me. Oh well, time for one of few sports I'm actually good at...mostly cause they place me on the best team, and I'm given a position that, because of my good, active teammates, doesn't do anything. Netball.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Still Rima's POV, Gym Class_

Yeah, didn't get it this time. I'm still on a good team, but I'm stuck in a position that means I have to move. Before, I was talking about Goalkeeper. Normally, I'd sit down in the circle and watch as my team puts the ball in the basket so many times, the teacher can't keep up. Speaking of the teacher, she's out today. She ate the bad fish yesterday. Now, her assistant is filling in. I'm sure the teacher told her about my lack of exercise, cause she said I was supposed to commit more. Now, she's given me Goal Attack. She's such a bitch. I hate her.

We're all taking our positions, waiting for her to get back from the 'bathroom' - we all know she has a thing for that ancient janitor. And we also know that she goes to make out with him. Oh well, the longer she makes out, the shorter the day gets. After gym, we Guardians head over to Amu's for a study party. Speaking of Amu, she's centre. Of my team, fortunately. I look over at the window into the boys' gym. All I see is blurry shapes, so I can guess that they're playing soccer. And I guess right, as a soccer ball hits the window.

Okay, Ms. Bitch eventually comes back, sweaty and a total mess, and blows the whistle, throwing up the ball for the toss. Amu catches it. No surprise really when she's like a kilometre taller than the other team's centre. Teacher retreats to the sidelines and blows the whistle again, starting the game. Amu's eyes darted around the court, but she shot the ball my way.

"Rima!" I cursed under my breath as I barely caught the damn thing. I turned around to face our goal, where we were going to have to score. And because of that bitch assistant, it means I'll also have to try and score as well. I aimed for the circle, where my teammates were rushing to catch the ball to score. I got on my tippy toes - ha, tippy - and got ready to throw, when something purple, running to the boys' gym, caught my attention from the corner of my eye. I fell forward, stumbling to make sure I didn't land on my face.

The whistle...whistled.

"Foul! Mashiro! Free throw, other team!" Amu ran up to me as the girl who was Goal Defence picked up the ball and got ready.

"Rima, what happened?" I didn't get to answer her as the bitch blew her whistle again.

"Hinamori, back in position!" Amu pouted as she shuffled back to cover the other team's centre. With another blow of the whistle, the girl threw the ball to the centre, to the Goal Attack, to the Goal Shooter, and into the basket. And then, there went the damn whistle again.

"Game! Change teams! Yagami's team, play winner!" I huffed, pissed off and tired, as I shuffled over to the bench. I sat down on it with a thump. I'm surprised the bloody thing didn't break. But, then again, I'm too light to break a peanut by sitting on it.

"I hate that assistant. She's a bitch. At least the original teacher understood my condition," I bitched to Amu, who sat down next to me.

"What condition? You're just lazy."

"Well, I wish laziness was a disease."

"By the way, Rima, what the hell happened out there? Even for you, it's really strange that you'd trip up like that." I shrugged. I don't know myself what happened out there.

"Dunno. Got distracted?" Amu still didn't look convinced, but she dropped it. I looked down at my shoes. They were filthy. _'What did happen out there? And why am I blushing?"_

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Amu's POV, Amu's House_

Ok, I'm still not buying that crap that Rima's dished me about her little mess up. Maybe she was just getting back at the assistant. Oh well, I still not dropping this. I look back down and feel a huge drop of sweat slip down my neck as I look at all the questions I've still to do of my algebra homework. So far, I've done question 1-7, but number 8's got me. I look back at Rima and my eyes almost fall out of my head when I see her on the other side.

"Uh, Rima, what did you get for number 8?" She gives me this blank look, turns over her paper and shrugs.

"I dunno, I'm only doodling." My head hit the table...no seriously, it did. Nagihiko, sitting at my right, across from Rima, says, "You know, Rima, you're going to fail math if you don't do your algebra homework." She shrugs.

"Do I care?"

"You should."

"Shut up, crossdresser." I hear the door.

"Guys! Shut up, my parents and Ami are home." I turn around.

"Ah, Amu-chan, I didn't know you had friends over." I shrug, automatically slipping into my 'cool and spicy' façade.

"Study party." Ami ran into the kitchen, where Ran, Miki, Su and Dia were hosting a party for the charas. At least it kept them out of our way while we Guardians did our homework. Yaya had finished her math and English, and was now complaining about her geography. ...Even though she was doing her art homework. Tadase and Kukai had already finished. All of it. Kukai was watching the soccer, while Tadase was reading a book. Oh...Tadase-kun. -

"AMU-CHAN!" I snapped out of my lovestruck daydream and froze. My father had crumpled to his knees in the doorway, still as stone.

"A-Amu-ch-chan. Why are there b-b-boys in the house?" Kukai muted the soccer, Tadase looked up from his book and Nagihiko looked over his shoulder. I peaked at his homework and screamed in my head, _'He's already on his English homework?'_ Yaya jumped to her feet, throwing her art homework up in the air.

"We're doing homework, Hinamori-san~!"

"H-h-h-homework?" Mother ran out of the kitchen and bent down next to me, while father was screaming all sorts of things like, "MY AMU-CHAN HAS BOYS IN THE HOUSE!"

"Maybe your friends should leave, Amu-chan," she whispered. I nodded. The guys were already packing up and they slipped by papa will he was on the floor, in a ball, holding his legs. Nice dad, nice.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Walking Home_

"Yaya loved that~! Hinamori-san had a panic attack~!" Kukai laughed with the kid. It was annoying. But, after Amu's father's screaming, the quiet - ish - street was heaven - ish...again. And it was even more so when Yaya, Kukai and Tadase wandered off down different roads. Now, it'd be perfect if a certain someone - *coughNagihikocough* - would leave. But he's stuck by my side like some clingy puppy. Looking up, I saw the orange strip of sunset disappear completely. The half moon stared down at me and the crossdresser, like some accusing police officer, looking at us from the corner of his eye. I can almost imagine an accusing police officer interrogating me.

"Where were you Friday? What time? What's your name? Do you like to party?" And then a disco ball would come out of the ceiling and the lights would dim, and then Buono!'s Kokoro no Tamago would start playing. I chuckled.

"Rima? What's so funny?" I frowned again. The officer was doing the funky chicken, but at the same time, asking what was so funny.

"Your dancing, that's what's so funny." His brow wrinkled up in confusion. He was now doing the Macarena.

"I'm not dancing. What's wrong with you, Rima?" I blinked. The dancing officer was gone, and instead, Nagihiko was looking worriedly at me. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"No, nothing's wrong, crossdresser."

"You know, it's starting to get dark. You want me to walk you home?"

"I can go home myself." I start to run, ignoring his shouts for me to stop. After only 2 blocks, I'm beginning to pant. I just remembered why I hate gym so much. I can't do it. I eventually stop, worn out and lost. At some point - I can't remember it too well - I stop and collapse. I'm tired, I'm lost, and I'm totally pathetic. I start crying - you would too if you were tired, lost and totally-okay you get the picture. Suddenly, a figure ran up.

"Rima, are you ok?" I think it was the crossdresser, but I can't be sure. I'm crying and everything's blurry. The person helps me stand, and they put their arm around me and lead me somewhere.

"Don't worry, Rima, my house is nearby." There you go. I'm going to their house.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Nagihiko's POV, Nagihiko's House_

I lead the crying Rima to my house, and we entered.

"Mother! Obaa! Help!" My mother came round a corner, holding a silver tray with nothing on it.

"Nagihiko-kun, what's wrong?" I didn't answer her as she spotted Rima. She grew paled and screamed, dropping the tray and running back round the corner, "Obaa!" Obaa ran down the hall, but slowed down when she saw me and Rima. She looked oddly calm. She took Rima from me and said, "I'll take over from here, Fujisaki-kun." She led the girl to the main room. I followed close behind, worried for Rima. Mother ran back in, holding a blanket.

"Here. Nagihiko-kun, can you put it around her?" I nod, and take the blanket from her. As I cover her shaking shoulders, Obaa walks in, holding a cup of her best hot chocolate. As she gives the cup to Rima, she whispers reassuringly, "Don't worry, pet. We'll take care of you until your mother or father comes for you." Rima takes the cup and nods. She's calmed down a lot. She's barely shaking now, and her breathing's slowed down. Mother walks back in, holding the phone.

"Rima-chan, what's your home number?" Rima takes a big gulp of the hot chocolate, and when she puts down the cup, she curls up on the couch, really close to me, and gives the number, now totally calmed down. When my mother leaves to call Rima's home, I face her and ask, "How are you feeling?" She gives me a hard look.

"I'm fine, crossdresser." I sighed. Why did Rima have to be so difficult? Before she could say something that'd really set me off and start another argument between us, my mother comes back through.

"Rima-chan, I called your mother and told her that you were here. She's coming to get you." Rima nodded, her face blank, the tear streaks drying.

"Nagihiko-kun, could you please take Rima to the bathroom so she could wash up?" I nod.

"Sure thing, mother. Rima-chan?" She stands up and starts to trail after me as I lead her down all sorts of hallways.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Nagihiko's House_

The crossdresser's outside, waiting for me to finish washing up. I roll my eyes as I wet my hands and splash water on my face. I rub at my checks, where the tear streaks were. I flinch as I rub my skin raw.

"Damn!" Little Kusukusu floats up out of my pocket and said, in her cute - yet at this current moment, annoying - voice, "Something wrong, Rima?" I shake my head, then I look at the door. I can't tell her. Well, she was there, she should know.

"I'm just pissed at how I acted out in the street. I had a panic attack! I've never had a panic attack!" Kusukusu looks a bit upset at me shouting. Then, she brightened up.

"You should thank Nagihiko for saving you then!" My head snaps round from facing the door.

"Never. I'd rather die than thank the crossdresser." Kusukusu looks a bit upset, but she shakes it off and flies back into my pocket as I leave the bathroom, ignoring Nagihiko outside the door. He just goes ahead and I follow him back to the door, where my mother is waiting.

"Thank you for helping my daughter, Nagihiko-kun. You say she had a panic attack?" The boy nods, the kiss up.

"Yes. I just brought her here since it was nearby and I knew my mother and obaa would help. So really, I did nothing, Mashiro-san." Mother smiles. She never smiles. Well, since she and dad started arguing, she didn't.

"Well, you brought her here and that's enough. Thank you again." His mother bows.

"Goodbye Mashiro-san, Rima-chan." Nagihiko and his...obaa - ? - bow as well. Mother waves and we walk out, down the path to the car. As I open the door, mother turns to look at me.

"What?"

"I'm just worried about you Rima. I didn't know you had panic attacks." I shrug.

"Neither did I. Can we just go now?" I don't wait for an answer, and just sit in the car. Mother gives up and takes the wheel. We start driving and I watch the dark scenery pass. Then I notice her smiling at me in the rear view mirror.

"That Nagihiko boy was cute. And very nice. Are you two going out?"

"Mother!"


	2. Day 2

**.:_PurpleDancer123_, I thank you for alerting and reviewing. ^_^**

**HEY! Guess who? Well...it's obvious...**

**Ah who cares! Anyway, here is chapter 2. **

**Brief summary: ...PARTY AT KUKAI'S~!**

**Also, last chapter, I kept switching between past and present tense. This time though, I've tried my best to keep it in the present tense.**

**Now then, each chapter will be refered to as days. Sometimes, they will span a few days in each chapter, so I will right the chapter title accordingly. If, like in this chapter, it takes place mostly on one day, then there's a little bit in the next day, it'll be called the day it was before the little bit tomorrow. Get it? If not, then I don't know.**

**Enjoy~! ^_^**

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Royal Garden_

We Guardians are doing Guardian work today, trying to finish the load that's been sitting in the back room. Amu's sitting in the corner, bored. She's trying to balance a pencil on her nose. Not going to work, Amu. She puts down the pencil, giving up on that idea, and instead grabs a brownie. Nagihiko brought them in. He claims his mother made them, but Yaya says they taste like when he as Nadeshiko made brownies. So we all know he made them. Why bother hiding it? Amu stuffs another one in her mouth. I'm sure she's going to finish them all and end up fat.

Unless she's like Utau. Geez, when it comes to the idol and ramen - and any other kind of food - she's like a bottomless pit. Kukai tried out eating her in a ramen contest, but he just couldn't do it. And, now that I think about it, I'm kind of scared of Utau. What if, sometime in the future, we all end up trapped in a desert, and, with nothing to eat, Utau eats one of us? I don't want to see what her stomach's like, no matter how curious I am.

"Rima-tan? Do you hate the pen? You're squeezing it?" I snap out of my little daydream about bottomless stomachs and Utau, and a cringe as I look at the black ink now on my hand. I drop the pen, look at my paper and push it forward.

"I'm done anyway." Suddenly, there's a handkerchief in front of me. I look up. The crossdresser's offering it to me, a 'sympathetic' look on his face. I take it, clean my hand, then blow my nose in it before I hand it back over. I know his 'sympathetic' look is just as fake as my tears. He takes the snot rag and drops it in the nearby garbage can. I smirk at him. If he even tries to pull a trick on me, I can pull one back. Tadase picks up the black pen from the top, the only bit that isn't inked, and drops it in the can as well.

The king clasps his hands, puts his elbows on the table, looking very official - which Amu is drooling at. Seriously - and he says, "Now that we have finished our work, I suggest that we start discussing the Embryo, Easter and their workers." Yaya leans forward.

"You mean Utau-san and Ikuto-kun?" Tadase nods.

"We all give our opinion." Nagihiko - oh great, he's going to start kissing up - says. He might as well bow down to the 'king' now. He nods to Tadase.

"You should start."

"Well, my opinion is that, while Utau can be changed, Ikuto will always be a black cat, working for Easter and-" I cut him off with a very witty remark - if I do say so myself.

"And always hitting on Amu and trying to get in her pants." Yaya snickers, while Amu turns bright red and crawls under the table. Tadase pouts, not finding my oddly truthful comment the least bit funny. To avoid a fight, Nagihiko stands up and says, "I'd like to give my opinion." Tadase turns from me.

"Go ahead, Fujisaki-san." The crossdresser nods.

"Well, my opinion is that while Easter's been quiet recently, we can give up on the fact that they could be in hiding while they plan something that'll throw us off guard." Amu blinks, almost confused.

"Then we just have to keep looking over our shoulders?" Yaya flies back against her chair, almost tipping it over.

"But Yaya doesn't want to look over Yaya's shoulder all the time! Can't we do something else?" Before the others could say something, and stand up and I hold up my hand, silencing them - heh, I love being the 'queen' - and then say to the mentally deranged 5th grader, "Well, while we look over our shoulders, you, Yaya, can throw a party. How does that sound?" Yaya jumps up, surprising us all, and making me fall back onto my seat. Her eyes are sparkling and she's standing on her chair - when'd she do that?

"Yaya will plan the bestest party Japan has ever had! And everyone is invited!" Amu has a huge drop of sweat down the back of her neck, as does Tadase and the evil one, and I'm pretty - heh, I'm pretty - sure I have one too.

"A-ano, Yaya-chan? How about we throw that party another time. Okay?" Amu's pathetic. Yaya gives her a look - don't know what kind of look, but it was a look - then smiles.

"Okee~!" There's the 'Okee' again. Thought we'd seen the last of it yesterday. "And, Yaya's o-pin-ee-on is that...um..." She paused for a moment, trying to think of an 'o-pin-ee-on'. Then, like a light bulb - first time I've ever heard it inside Yaya's head. It's echoing. Now I know what's in her head. Nothing - has been switched on, she smiles.

"Is that Iku-kun looks super cute with his cat ears!" I can definitely see a little hexagon next to Yaya with a chibi Ikuto and his cat ears and tail. I'm positive the others can see it too, like it's Yaya's visible thought bubble, because Amu's blushing - probably remembering what I'd said earlier about Ikuto trying to get in her pants - and Nagihiko's looking very amused at Amu and Tadase, who is looking very dark, and clutching the table with white knuckles. I swear he's going to break it. And me? I was very indifferent. I should know, cause I feel indifferent, and I look indifferent. We got a mirror in here, cause of the majority of girls.

"O-okay, Yaya. Thanks for that." Amu's a wimp. And pathetic. She coughed.

"And, my opinion is-"

"That Amu-chi likes Iku-kun very much?" Yaya interrupted. Honest to God, I can hear the wood splintering.

"N-no! Yaya-chan!" She's blushing an even darker red. I snicker.

"Come on, Amu. Admit it. You got a thing for Tsukiyomi." SNAP! Shit, he's broken the table. We're all quiet. I mean, come on, who knew Hotori had that kind of strength? Huh? He's blushing like mad now and he drops the piece of the table he's broken off. Maybe he was just really pissed off that we were continually talking about Ikuto and him and Amu getting it on. I hate awkward silences. To break it, I go, "How's about I give my opinion now?" Nagihiko nods, grim.

"That'd probably be for the best." I sit back down and, trying to avoid looking at the broken piece of wood, and Amu and Tadase's beet red faces, avoiding each other, I cough, clearing my throat. But, before I could say a damn thing, the doors fly open behind me, and Kukai shouts, "Party at my place!" While everyone jumps up and starts running towards the boy, I turn in my seat, kneeling on it, and shout, like an annoyed little girl, "But I didn't give my opinion!"

"But you've given your opinion on everyone else's opinions. So technically, you've given your opinion," Nagihiko oh so kindly points out. I pout, then think for a moment. I shrug, deciding it'd be best to just leave it at that and go party. I leap out my seat, throw off my cape, which the others didn't do cause they were so excited about the party, then shout, running after them, "Wait for me!"

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Kukai's House_

I've never been to Kukai's house before. ...It's big. Hey, wait a second. What's that in the punch? It doesn't smell bad or anything. And besides that weird looking brown dust floating in it, it looks fine. I shrug. It can't hurt us, right?

...

Hm...not bad. In fact, that brown dust actually helps the taste. Although I'm still not sure about it. Further investigation required...after the party. I look around the living room. Kukai's pushed back all the furniture and he's set up three snack tables. Really Kukai, really? You think that Yaya's going to eat two of them...or is one of them all for Yaya? Oh well.

"AHHH! HENTAI-NEKO-MIMI! KUKAI~!" Oh great. Cat boy just had to crash the party. Kukai runs in from the kitchen. What was he doing in there? Then, I see Ikuto climb in through the window. Amu's face is bright red, and Tadase, who is besides her, looks about ready to kill Ikuto.

"Ah, Tsukiyomi! Thought you'd show up. I couldn't find you earlier, but now you're here, you're invited."

"WHAT?" We all scream. Except me. I couldn't care less. While everyone bombards Kukai with questions - ...and complaints - I just get another cup of punch. Seriously, that brown dust is delicious. It mixes well with the strawberry flavour. Or is it raspberry? Eh, who cares? I'm taking two cups. But, I nearly drop the second one when another scream - loud enough to be heard in America - ...screams, "TSUKIYOMI IKUTO!" I snicker in my head.

"The crazy idol's here," I mutter to no one in particular.

"Who are you talking to, Rima?" Shit. I ignore him and focus on the chaos in front of me.

Utau's sitting outside the window, in a bush, and she is glaring the sharpest daggers I've ever seen someone glare at Ikuto.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kukai leans out the window and says, with his same, cocky smile, "He's invited." Utau turns all those daggers on Kukai.

"Well then you have to invite me too. I don't want to leave Ikuto alone in case anything...happens. There're kids here." Kukai pulls her through the window and tells her, "Well, you're invited as well, then. You happy?" She thinks it over, then nods, "Okay then, I'm happy with that. So, Iku-kun," she turns away from Kukai and starts flirting with Ikuto, "doing anything interesting tonight?" The boy just shrugs her off and wanders over to the corner where Amu's talking with Tadase and-no, wait. She was talking with Tadase and Yaya but now, Kukai's dragged Yaya off somewhere.

"Okay, now that Ikuto and Utau have crashed the place, I'm bored."

"Why are you talking to yourself?" Shit. I really hate him, I really do. So, I just ignore him and walk outside. Outside, I look around the garden. There's a tatty soccer goal at one end, a burst soccer ball stuck in the hedge and...is that a human head? No, wait, it's just another soccer ball stuck on a stake of the fence at the bottom the garden. You know, my legs feel a bit tired. I sit down on the grass and look up. For once, the street lights aren't on and you can see the stars. It's actually quite a beautiful sight. I hear footsteps behind me, but I don't need to turn around to know that it's Nagihiko. He sits down next to me. I don't object.

"Need some company?" he asks. I look at him, and for what I think is the first time since I met him - I haven't got a good memory - I smile at him. A genuine smile.

"Sure. Why not?" A real smile and a sentence without insulting him? What is wrong with me? You know, I wouldn't exactly call it a sentence more of a-

"Penny for your thoughts?" I jump.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you there," he apologises. I look away from him, my face growing red. What is happening to me? Is it the stars? The silence? The fact that it's just the two of us, alone, silent, beneath the stars? I look at him, and he seems curious.

"What?" I ask, starting to get uncomfortable under his staring. He shrugs.

"I guess I just want to know," he replies, leaning back so he can get a better look of the sky. I copy him, my neck starting to hurt from looking up all the time. I finish off my cup, crush it and throw it behind me. I'm just about relaxed when I remembered what he said.

"Know what?" I ask, wanting to know myself. He looks at me, and I seriously hope he can't see me blush. If he does, he isn't saying anything. He's just looking at me. I think he's looking straight into my eyes. Cheesy, I know, but that's what it feels like. I almost forget to breath.

...Somebody call a doctor. Something is wrong with me.

"I want to know you," he finally says. Okay, something is definitely wrong with me, because now, I suddenly have a flipping stomach. I think the house has suddenly gone quiet, but I'm ignoring that. I think...me and the crossdresser are having a moment. A real one, without either of us calling the other names or either of us arguing - namely me - while the other just goes along with it for fun, just teasing - namely Nagihiko. I open my mouth to say something, when all of a sudden, there's a bright flash, and I'm momentarily blinded.

"Hey!" Nagihiko shouts. He sounds angry and annoyed. When I regain my sight, I start to get redder as I see everybody looking out at us, giggling and snickering and gossiping and whispering to each other. Amu and Kukai are both holding cameras, with them both comparing the photos they took.

"Ah, just look at the Jack's Chair and the chibi devil Queen's Chair, having an adorable little moment," Ikuto teases. I hide my head in my hands while Nagihiko moves in front of me. Why? I don't know, now stop asking me.

"Too bad us meanies had to ruin it," he continues, pouting in a mock sympathetic look. A tear came to my eye, and then, I did what I hoped I wouldn't do.

I run out of there, trying to hold back tears, with one just slipping down my cheek. I push Nagihiko out of my way and I push through the crowd and up the stairs.

"Rima, wait!" I ignore him. I mean, who was I to believe that me and Nagihiko could ever get along?

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Utau's POV, Kukai's House_

That scene with Rima and Nagi was hilarious! But I did feel a little bit weird when she ran upstairs crying. Oh well, I can feel guilty later. For now, I'm enjoying this party that Kukai's hosting. And being close to Ikuto. Oh Ikuto...

"Uta-shan?" Who?

"Uta-shan?" There it is again. Who is this annoying person with the squeaky voice? And who the fuck is this Uta-shan?

"Utau!" I snap out of my daydream, to find Yaya and Amu looking at me, worried.

"What?" I ask. Yaya and Amu look relieved, with Yaya squeaking, "Good to know Uta-shan isn't dumb like Iku-kun!" I frown, growing slightly frustrated and annoyed with this Uta-shan shit.

"Who is Uta-shan?" I yell, grabbing the unwanted attention of Kukai and Tadase in the kitchen nearby. Yaya smiles, and tells me, as if I'm stupid, "You are, silly. Uta-shan is my new nickiename for you." I blink.

"I don't get it," is all I say. Amu looks toward the kitchen, and says, "You know, I'm going to leave you two to go see if Kukai and Tadase need any help in the kitchen." As she walks away, I call after her, saying, "Shout on me if Ikuto tries anything." She just raises her plastic cup filled with that weird punch. Thinking about it now, that brown dust that's in the punch...it's suspicious, but delicious. It's suspiciously delicious! I take another swig of my own brown dusty punch then turn to Yaya as she explains the logic behind my new 'nickiename'.

"Well, Yaya got the Uta part from taking a 'u' in your name. Utau, Uta. Yaya then got the shan from saying san like a baby. It's baby talk! Nikaidou-sensei once told Yaya that chan was baby talk for san until it was recognised as a proper honorific." I am shocked. I have never known Yaya to actually soak up what a teacher says. But then again, if it's got anything to do with babies or young children, she'll listen...obviously. I guess I just know her. We're close friends. Which is odd since - besides Ikuto - I'm the oldest of our snug little group and Yaya's the youngest.

"So that's how I came up with Uta-shan! Do you like it?" I shake my head to clear it of all these thoughts on why me and Yaya are closer than the others, and then say, before Yaya can get the wrong idea, "Sure. It's cute. And it does sort of suit me." Suddenly, Kukai walks over and greets us, "Yo! Hoshina, Yuiki!" As I gave my hand a flick to say hi, I notice Yaya start to go red and get flustered.

"You know what," I say, in a slow, teasing voice, "I think I'll go grab a cookie. I'll leave you two alone for now. But I'll be back..." I trail off the word 'back', making Yaya tremble in her uniform, which all the Guardians are still wearing. It's as if they said, "Stuff getting changed, we'll go to party in our uniforms! It's not as if it's fancy dress!" I wander off, getting lost in the picture heavy house of Kukai and his brothers. I stop in front of one picture where Kukai is in the neck hold of Kaidou while Shuusui, Unkai and Rento stood by and watched, some laughing. And the reason I know their names is because I had to take Kukai home after a particularly heated ramen eating contest we had. It's something neither of us wish to talk about, but let's just say it involved fire, an exploding ambulance, me Chara Changing with Iru and an accordion.

"Ikuto, get off of me you pedo!" I sigh.

"My work is never done," I mutter before I walk over to the kitchen to sort out my Iku-kun.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Kukai's House_

It's official. I have hit rock bottom. I am here, in a closet, sobbing my eyes out. I'm a total mess. Last time I checked the mirror sitting on the high up shelf - I was barely able to see in it. Even standing on my tippy - heh...tippy... - toes - I eyes were red and puffy, my hair was tangled and tuggy and my skin was pale and sweaty. Now, I'm tucked up into the corner, hidden by a mop. I'm kind of hoping that my hair blends in with it. Just when I thought I had run out of tears to cry, a big, fat teardrop slides down my cheek and onto the floor. With a few more sniffs, I start crying again. BOY I'm pathetic! I mean what is wrong with me? I've been reduced to a blubbering mess...because my moment with the crossdresser was ruined. I shouldn't even care about this thing! I don't even like that poser. Poser? Why do I call him a poser you ask?

"Because he probably set it all up," I whisper all of a sudden.

"He kisses up to all the teachers, he's perfect and...he's a lying, evil crossdresser!" I didn't mean for my voice to get louder, but as soon as it did, I shrank further into the corner at the sound of footsteps outside the closet. I'm kind of hoping it's Amu or Utau or even Yaya. But I know it isn't. The door opens...

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Nagihiko's POV, Kukai's House_

"Rima?" I was too worried about her safety to care if I were using an honorific or not. I have been searching all the upper decks since the incident, and so far, no sign of the tiny chibi devil. Okay, enough with the jokes, Nagi. You've got to find Rima! I heard someone shout, "Lying, evil crossdresser!" further down the hall. Now, here I am, opening the door to the closet, and when a few muffled sobs confirm my suspicions, I open the door further, letting the light flood the small box of a room. Rima shields her eyes against the sudden invasion. I just wait for her eyes to adjust, and when they do, she lowers her hand to reveal to me a glare of pure hatred. I'm surprised and shocked.

"R-Rima?" She looks away from me, and she almost looks upset and betrayed. Why? Why on earth should she feel betrayed?

"Rima, are you okay?" Rima looks back at me and hisses, "You planned it, didn't you?" I step into the closet and close the door, shutting out the light again. Now, with my eyes still trying to adjust, Rima's next comment kind of freaks me out.

"You wanted me to me humiliated, didn't you?" she snarls. I flinch as I try to back up and end up tripping up on an empty bucket. I hit my head against the door - hard - and then land literally on the edge of the bucket, making it fall over so I could sit on solid ground. I bite back a few swear words - because I don't want to be like everyone else and my mother said she'd take away my basketball privileges for a week every time I swore - as I hold my throbbing cranium. I'm now breathing heavily through clenched teeth. When the pain has finally subsided - enough - I open my adjusted eyes and jump with surprise as I find a tear streaked, pissed off - go ahead mother. That was pretty much the only word to describe how Rima looked at this moment - Rima looking me straight in the eye. Her legs are still stuffed in the corner in an awkward shape I'm sure will take forever to untangle, but she's crawled over the mops and brooms so her face was right up to mine. Her heavy, slow panting breath smells oddly of the punch.

"What do you want?" she asks. I'd say she was indifferent if it weren't for her threatening expression.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," I tell her truthfully. At least, I hope it sounds truthful to her. In her current state, she could...well, to be honest, she'd try committing murder.

"Rima," I start slowly, trying to gain the girl's trust, "I want to help you." She crawls back into the corner and amazingly brings her legs out from beneath her to hold them to her chest. Okay, I think she's calmed down enough. I crawl over the floor - despite how hard it was to move in the already tiny closet. There was also the mops, buckets and brooms cluttering up the floor, limiting where I can move - until I'm stuffed between a particularly annoying mop and Rima. She hasn't moved or tried to shuffle away from yet, so that's a good sign. She sniffs.

"You're evil, you know that?" I smile.

"You're cute when you're threatening, you know that?" I retort. And I swear I hear her chuckling.

"Stupid crossdresser," she mumbles. Next thing I know, her breathing is slower and heavier. She's asleep. I sigh, but I'm still smiling.

"I guess I've got to stay here with you huh?" I ask her, although I'm not expecting an answer.

"It isn't very comfortable in here, but I'll make an exception just this once," I tell her. I yawn.

"But next time," I say sleepily, "we're sleeping somewhere less cramped." Next thing I know, I am asleep with Rima against my arm and the handle of the mop leaning against me.

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Kukai's POV, Kukai's House_

Damn, that was some party. Mashiro and Nagi looked like they were getting on pretty well. Too bad I lost that bet with Ikuto and I had to ruin it. Oh well, it was still a way fun party. Too bad I'm stuck on crappy clean-up duty. It is now 2 in the morning. I finally booted the guys out of my house when Kaidou and the guys got back at 1.30. But now, those bastards won't help me out, even though Ikuto caused a mess. And Yaya. I'm also surprised she managed to stay up that long. I thought she'd have at least fallen asleep at 11. But no. As I bend down to pick up a crushed cup, I feel my face start to heat up over what happened between the two of us...and...i-it's something I'm not going to talk about!

...Damn, what the hell is wrong with me? I crush the already tortured cup in my hand and then throw it rather violently into the garbage bag I'm dragging along with me. I pass by the punch bowl on my way upstairs. I remember Tsukiyomi dragging Hinamori up there earlier with Hotori and Utau chasing after them. I just want to check and make sure there isn't a mess up there. I stop and take a few steps back until I'm looking at the punch bowl. It'd been completely drained during the party and I had to refill it again. Of course, my stupid brothers crashed the party before the thing was half empty. Now, I see some weird brown dust floating in the punch. I dip my finger in the juice and try it.

...Hmm, not bad. I'm going to check out my kitchen later after I've finished cleaning to look for that brown dust and find out what it is and when we got it. I don't remember ever buying brown dust, and it certainly wasn't labelled on the bottle. Oh well. I shrug, as I abandon the punch bowl and walk upstairs. I'm about to walk to my bedroom to look for anything...suspicious, when something even more suspicious grabs my attention. I walk back and open the broom closet. And I'm actually quite surprised at the sight. I smile.

"Way to go Fujisaki."

**Xxxx-XXX-xxxX**

_Rima's POV, Kukai's House_

Ugh, why do I feel like I was stuffed in a box? I may be short, but I'm not that short. I open my eyes slowly, but then they blink open entirely when I notice the unfamiliar living room. I squirm a nit, then realise that I'm not actually on the sofa. I am on it, but something else is on it and I'm on that something else. Even though my bones are aching, I force myself into a sitting position.

...Oh God. I was sleeping on Nagihiko. I am sitting on Nagihi-fuck, it's a pretty awkward position. Fortunately, he's still aslee-shit, I just had to jinx it! He's waking up now! His eyes open slowly, and when they're open wide enough to see me, I start to blush. He looks like he doesn't know me, but he's just waking up. It takes him a few moments, but then, he realises who I am and what...*cough* position we're both in. Soon, he's the same colour as Amu whenever Ikuto's around. And I don't need a mirror to know that I am that very colour too. We're both silent.

"Um..." he tries to break the awkward silence, but then footsteps coming down the stairs make him stop. I slide back along his legs - trying to avoid touching...that - to let him sit up enough to look over the back of the sofa. We both see a still half-asleep Kukai walking down the steps, in the middle of a really - really - long yawn. The former Jack stopped and just stood there, his eyes still closed and his hand scratching his...ass...

...Okay, that is something I will never forget. I am now scarred. Suddenly, my nose begins to itch. I scratch it, but it's still itchy. I twitch it, trying to make it go away - Which also got me a funny look from Nagihiko. In the end...

"Aah...Aah...AahHCHHOOO!" I couldn't stop myself from sneezing on the poor - yet evil - crossdresser. While he mutters, "Just great." Kukai finally notices us. He smiles.

"Have a good sleep you two," he asks, still with his trademark smile on his face.

...I hate that smile. It's too...mocking. Once Nagihiko is done wiping my snot - Heh, he had it coming - off his pale - you know, I just noticed his face is pale. In fact, his skin is pale...obviously... - face, he asks, "Kukai, what happened? Why are we still here?" Kukai's smile somehow get bigger and now...is that a smirk?

"You wouldn't believe the 'positions' I found you two in way earlier this morning."


	3. Day 3 to Day 5

**~*~*~Reviewers: Still only **_**PurpleDancer123**_**…but I love your review all the same~! ^_^**

**~*~*~Notes: UWAH! Longest. Chapter. EVER!**

**No seriously, this is the longest chapter I have ever done. 17 pages! Over 8,000 words! And all for you! My fans…**

**Now…would you all be such dears…and REVIEW GODDAMNIT!**

**~*~*~Warning: Rima is a little potty mouth in this chapter. However, you should all be used to it if you have read the genius work that is **_**Rima Can't Spell**_**, which this is greatly influenced by. But, if you haven't read it, then what are you doing reading this shit?_!**

**~*~*~Notice: I do read Rozen Maiden and Zombie-Loan. I have also seen the anime. I've finished Happy Hustle High and am currently reading (Though haven't read in a while) Imadoki. I haven't read Black Butler or Vampire Knight, though I may read them or watch the anime at some point. They both seem interesting.**

* * *

_Thursday, 6.47 PM_

_Rima's House_

Oh.

My.

GOD!

That damn bastard Kukai! Why? WHY? Why did he have to do that?

"WHY?" I scream as I throw myself onto my bed. Kusukusu floats over me, looking worried.

"Why what? What happened? Who are you angry at?" I lift my head out of the pillow, but keep my chin rested on it.

"What makes you think it's a who I'm angry at?" Kusukusu gives me a look of disbelief.

"1st, I know you, Rima. 2nd, you wouldn't normally get this angry if it wasn't over a who." I can't believe it. Kusukusu has silenced me. Fortunately, my phone's ringing, so I can stall answering her. Waving Kusukusu away from my desk, I pick up my phone and press 'Answer'. My caller ID doesn't work. I don't know how, it just isn't working.

"Y'ello?" Kusukusu has started snickering at my greeting. I only smile. Don't want whoever's on the other end to think I'm crazy. That is if I don't know the other person.

"Rima?" Thank God, it's Amu.

"Amu, hey!"

"Hey! Look, my parents finally said yes about me bringing you and the others with me to the beach!" I smile again.

"That's great! And I just got a new swimsuit last week." I can hear Amu chuckling on the other end.

"I didn't know you went shopping. Why didn't you ask my permission?" she asks in a teasing manner. I gasp as if I've upset her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Oh Supreme Cool and Spicy Queen! So so, terribly sorry!" Amu chuckles on the other end.

"Ah, forget about it. So, why did you go out shopping? I thought you'd rather hang out with Nagi than go shopping," she asks. I turn in my bed and grab my red heart shaped cushion - which only Amu and Utau know about, BTW - and reply, "So I was in a good mood when my mom dragged my off to the place. So what. Besides, she said there was a sale on, and, even I had to admit that the thing suits me. It looks really cute." I can feel Amu rolling her eyes at the other end.

"Come on, there's more to the story than this crap that you're dishing me. Tell me, what else happened?" I smile. Nothing can get past Amu.

"Okay, okay, ya got me. She also said that if I went shopping with her, she'd get me all the manga I am- wait, was currently missing, to update my collections." Amu gasps.

"No way! She did? How much did it cost her?" I get off my bed and walk over to my shelves. There's still a large stack of manga I've still to organise. The titles are in alphabetical order and the volumes are in numerical order. I know it seems out of character, but hey, when it comes to my room, it's a mess, when it comes to my manga, it's all organised. Manga is my life.

"Rima?" I jump, as Amu says my name.

"Sorry. But, about the cost, I don't care. I have finally got the whole series of Happy Hustle High and Imadoki, I've caught up with Black Butler, Zombie-Loan and Rozen Maiden, and I've started this one called Vampire Knight. It's really good." Amu chuckles.

"Oh really, I'd love to see it. Lemmie borrow once you're finished?" I nod.

"Sure. Anyway, back to your party," I tell her, picking up my new Vampire Knight manga and taking it with me to my bed.

"Oh right. Well, the main rules are, be in a swimsuit. Nagihiko, Kukai and Tadase are bringing the food, entertainment, that kind of stuff, and you're bringing-" Then, it was quiet. I frown in confusion.

"Amu?" No reply.

"A~mu?" Pulling the phone away from my ear, I groan in frustration as I notice the blank screen.

"Fuck!" I scream, throwing the stupid thing against the wall. It didn't break. That was to be expected. After my last 3 phones, mom got me a phone that doesn't break even if an elephant stood on it.

"Want to try that again?" Speak of the devil. She opens the door and glares at me. Blushing, I tiptoe over my cluttered bedroom floor, pick up my phone and go back to my bed. Once I am sitting down on it, I throw it again, feebly, and say in a quiet, meek voice, "Damn it." She nods her approval, gives me a warning stare and leaves, the door creaking in her wake.

Yep, that's my mom for you. It's been nearly a year since the whole Ikuto leaving, Hikaru's chara egg being the embryo, Amu getting her charas back thing. In that time, Amu found out about Nagihiko being Nadeshiko - oddly, she was alright with it. The worst of it was that she was in shock for a few days, not saying anything at all. It was kinda creepy - and my dad left. As much as I love him and miss him, I just can't help but say good fucking riddance. He was a nightmare, especially when he was drinking.

At least mom doesn't go out and get drunk, then come back and attempt to start World War III. She has gotten drunk before, and when she has, she'd be yelling at some inanimate object for doing something wrong. Once, I went downstairs to make myself some toast - the only thing I can make without burning…most of the time - when I found her, drunk and yelling at the toaster for burning her waffle. Why she decided to put a waffle in the toaster, I will never know, but all I know is that I walked out of there. Backwards. I just couldn't stop watching it. Please don't ask me how I managed to walk up the stairs backwards. I just did it.

* * *

_Friday, 9.18 AM_

_Free Period, 2nd Period, Seiyo Academy_

Damn, I still don't know what Amu wants me to bring for her beach party. I should really be using this chance to do my biology homework, but I don't really give a shit. So what if I've forgotten my homework like…8 times, I mean, I've already seen the teacher's dark side. And trust me, Utau's dark side is worse. Besides, Mr Rhiochi's dark side is more comical. Not the first time, but once you've seen it 15 times, it's just funny. Just don't laugh in front of him. That's when his dark side gets darker and scarier.

"Hey! Rima!" I look up. Amu's running towards me. Please tell me she's going to tell me what I've to bring. She's reached my table and is now doubled over, panting. Sheesh, and I thought I was bad at PE. Amu looks like she's ran a mile. She stands up straight and asks, "Please tell me you've still got all your music." I nod.

"Why?" She smiles, calming down.

"Well, me, Utau and Yaya know about your music collection." She glances over her shoulder, then whispers, cupping her hand and putting it to one side of her mouth, "I mean your 'music collection'." She emphasizes 'music collection'. My eyes widen. Following her example, I whispered back, "You mean my 'secret' music collection?" She nods, her eyes twinkling.

"I need you to bring the music for the party," she tells me. I nod.

"Okay." She smiles.

"Great. Party's tomorrow, Kaze Cove." - We named it that because it gets really windy. I was nearly whipped away into the sky once. Seriously, it was last year and I was really tiny and weighed less than a peanut. And I wasn't anorexic. Still not - "Bring your music or we'll fill Yaya up with candy and have her chase you out of there," she tells me, smirking. I rip out a page of my Biology notebook, crumple it up and toss it her way. All it does is hit off her head harmlessly. I smirk, picking up my pen and drawing a devil, which looks oddly like my history teacher, Mr Howie. He's from America. Is this an omen?

* * *

_12.34 PM_

_History Class, Lunch, Seiyo Academy_

You're damn straight it was an omen! Apparently, you're not supposed to mention if someone has a huge fucking zit the size of Everest! And now, I have detention. With Amu, who laughed along with me. The only weird thing is that the evil crossdresser is here too. While Mr. Howie is ranting and raving in English about his pay - which we don't give a flying fuck about, by the way - I scoot over to the purple haired mad genius - who is reading a basketball magazine. Who is Michael Jordan? I think he was in some cartoon movie. Maybe the loony tunes? I can't remember - and ask, "What are you doing here?" He looks up from the magazine, and tells me, like it was obvious, "I'm the detention assistant for this week." I look at him blankly. He sighs and closes the magazine.

"The detention assistant sits in the class with the teacher sort of to remind them that not all of the kids in this school are little demons," he tells me. And I swear that he mutters afterwards, "Like yourself." I pout, and a big fat tear rolls down my cheek.

"You're a meanie," I whine. He scoffs.

"Fake tears, fake whining," he tells me, opening up his magazine again. I pout again, and scoot back to my original seat. This stupid teacher is now picking on Amu. I hate history in the first place. Why the hell does it matter if I'm getting a B…or a D…or an F…

* * *

_4.59 PM_

_Art Class, 6th Period, Seiyo Academy_

Damn…I hate Art. Actually, I hate all subjects. Except maybe Geography. Mrs. Kamouchi is such a spazz and barely notices me and Amu playing hangman or tic-tac-toe in our notebooks at the back of the class. We'd even laugh out loud from watching our favourite movies we've downloaded onto our iPod's and she still wouldn't notice. However, Miss. Hayamoto is a hawk. She sees all, she hears all, she…eats all? No, seriously, I once saw her eating a handbag. Snakeskin too…

"Mashirrrrrrrrrro! Sit up strrrrrraight!" Did I mention that she rolls her fucking 'r's'? Well, she does. She strides to the front of the class, her back so straight that I'm surprised she doesn't fall back. She stands at the board, then swishes round so she was watching us. She rests her manicured claws on her desk and her eyes watch us all, passing over us from the left side window to the door.

"Now then class," she finally says. She stands up straight again and folds her arms and continues, "Today, and forrrrr the next few days, we will be visiting the fascinating worrrrld of Vincent Van Gogh, the brrrrriliant mind behind 'The Sunflowerrrrrs', 'Starrrry Night Overrrr Rrrrrhone' and 'Olive Trrrrrees with the Alpilles in the Backgrrrrround'. If anyone has any objections to this prrrrrroject that we will be studying, speak now." She says it in a way that says itself, 'Go on, speak up,' but her eyes say, 'If you object, you have detention.' When no-one said anything - who would - she nods.

"Good. Now then, let us begin by looking at a spectaularrrrr piece - that is also one of my perrrrsonal favourrrrrites - called 'Rrrrroad with Cyprrrress and Starrrr.' I parrrrticularrrrly find it rrrratherrrr a beautiful picturrrre, rrrreprrrresenting an arrrtificial fantasy of Gogh's. The way he conveys this fantasy simple gives me chills. And I'm surrrre it will do the same to all of you. Now, I have brrrought these books in with me. Come up and pick one, and enjoy rrreading otherrr people's views on the painting." Oh God. This is going to be one long, _long_ frrrrricking class.

* * *

_Saturday, 5.01 AM_

_Rima's House_

Ah…peace, and quiet… I love the weekends, simply because I can sleep in. I normally like to sleep to 5 in the afternoon. But I'm still sleepy right now, so it must be morning. So what is that sound? I know I said 'Ah, peace and quiet', but that was when I was talking about sleeping. After I'd said that, this annoying beeping started, and now, I can't sleep. I crack my eyes open a crack. It's still dark. Moving my head to the left - slowly. It's took like…1 minute just to move it around to face my bedside table - I see my phone lighting up, vibrating and making that fucking beeping noise. I lift my arm and it flops about lazily, hitting the table until I finally grab my phone. I flip it open and flinch at the light. Then, I scowl at it.

"Who the fuck could be calling me, or texting me or trying to fuck with my head at…" my eyes look sleepily at the time and they widen as I scream silently, "5 in the fucking morning?_!" The fuck! Whoever this is better have a good reason for waking me up!

…Wait a second…Is this person even sane? What the fuck are _they_ doing up at 5 in the morning?_! It's a call. I press 'answer' and bring the annoying thing to my ear.

"Hello my little chibi devil," a cheery voice at the end chirps. Oh God. I know that voice. And that voice is absolutely nuts. What the hell is he doing up at this time?

"What the fuck are you doing up at this time? Do you even know what time it is? Or are you in some other time zone?" The crossdresser snickers.

"Aww, is little Ri-Ri Mama tired?" Why the little fucker… Wait…how'd he find out about my nickname? Screw that, I can feel him smirking on the other end.

"Tired? Of course I'm fucking tired!" I yell, although I now have to shut up when I heard Mama shuffle down the hall. She has to get up early for her new job. She's has to get a brand spanking new job which requires her work 6 days a week and for 15 hours a day. I only see her at night. Fortunately, I know that she's still pretty drowsy and half asleep, and won't have heard me, but still, I shut up all the same.

"Rima?" I jump, then hiss down the phone, "Shut the fuck up, crossdresser, and call me when I've woken up…at 3 tomorrow."

"You mean today?"

"Whatever," I mutter, starting to fall asleep again.

"Wait!" He shouts, waking me up again.

"What?" I whine. I seriously need my sleep. Otherwise I'm cranky!

"Rima, I seriously need your help. I'm up this late because I can't get to sleep. I was up all night dancing at my mother's order and now, I'm restless. If I don't sleep, I won't be able to get to Amu's party and that will make her upset. And then she'll ignore me for weeks, which is, fortunately, less than when I told her I was Nadeshiko." I smirk.

"Yeah, she ignored you for a month. The best month of my life," I tell him.

"This isn't funny, Mashiro! I can't sleep! My mother gave me 13 cups of coffee just to keep me awake for my training, and now, no matter how long I stay up, no matter what I do, I. Can't. Sleep." I snicker.

"Well, deal with it. Now shut up, hang up, and let me sleep since I can," I tell him. I go to hang up the phone but then he goes, "I'm…" - he sighs - "begging you." I shoot up, sitting up straight.

"You're what?" I ask deviously, smiling with triumph. I know what he said, I just want to clarify. I hear him growl at the other end.

"I'm begging you! Please, do something!" I snicker silently.

Rima: 1. Crossdresser: 0

Then, I start to go, "Hmm?" dragging it out on purpose. The crossdresser's panicking. I can hear it. I am so evil, it scares me.

"Okay then," I tell him. He sighs with relief, and gives me a thank you. Oh, I love it!

Rima: 2. Crossdresser: …1/2.

I am still helping him, so he gets a half mark. I get out of my specially made short bed and go over to my bookcase, still holding my phone. I grab the large encyclopaedias in the bottom square and yank them out - some effort needed. Eventually, they come out, but first, they have to crash on the floor, with a too loud _thud_. Grimacing, I put down my phone, ignoring the evil on the other end going, "Rima? Rima? What happened? What was that thud?" I hurry to the door and open it a crack, peeping out.

"Phew," I sigh, relieved. Mama's still stuck at the first step. One of the reasons why she gets up earlier is, she always gets stuck at the stairs because she's still so tired. So, by the time, she's downstairs and had her coffee, she's wide awake. I go back into my room, closing my door quietly, then proceed to squeeze through the gap where my encyclopaedias were. I don't even read them, I just keep them to hide the large, me-sized hole in my wall. I made it myself.

It leads to my secret room, where I keep all my secret collections; manga, movies, music, that sort of thing. I'd always told Mama that there was a room here, but it'd been covered up with wallpaper, and even then, when we stripped the wall to put up new wallpaper, there was no door. So, the only way in was either through this little hole or through the window in the backyard.

"Rima? Are you still there?" I roll my eyes. He's starting to piss me off now.

"Yes, I'm still here. I'm going to get the thing that will help you sleep." I put the phone down again so I could continue crawling, then, a thought came to mind.

"You do realise," I tell him, smirking, "that you owe me after this. Right?" He sighs.

"Fine, fine, just hurry up!" I stop crawling for a moment to give the phone the one finger salute. Once I'm finally in my secret room, I stand up, holding the wall for support when I feel a wee bit woozy and nearly tip over to my left. Now that I'm coordinated, I walk over to my music stand and pick out a lullaby I use when Kusukusu can't get to sleep. But, sometimes I fall asleep as well. Fortunately, the CD player just turns its self off.

And the weird thing is that the room is completely soundproof. I was once listening to something - can't remember the song…or the artist…or even the pile where I put it… - at about 50 volume, and when I went out to get something to drink, not bothering to turn it off, I was surprised that I couldn't hear it anymore. So it stays a secret. And now, I don't have to worry about how loud I play it.

I find the song and put it in. I put my phone - with Na-the crossdresser still on the other end - next to the speaker and press play. Then, I just sit back with my earphones on, listening to another song from another CD player. After a minute, I take off my headphones and pick up my phone.

"How'd that do for you?" I ask, turning down the music in case I still need it. I hear him hum lazily.

"Perfect. I'm drifting off on a cloud. My pillow is like a marshmallow," he drones. I scoff.

"Don't eat it," I mutter. I go to hang up, until an idea comes to me, which makes me smile. I hold my phone's camera at arm's length, facing my face. I pull down the bottom lid of my left eye with my two fingers, the backs of them facing the camera. I stick out my tongue for good measure. Then, I press the button and my face is now on my phone with a flash. I type in a quick message of, _An image for you to remember in your sleep, crossdressing bastard._ Then, I send it to him. I turn off my CD player, put back the CD, and crawl back to my room, my phone finally closed. I put it back on my bedside table and crawl under my covers.

However, before I can drift off to my own, personal dream land, my phone buzzes again. I growl, grabbing it and flipping it open. And the message read, _You've never looked cuter */sarcasm*._ And attached to it, was a picture of the crossdresser, smirking, his eyes half closed, under his covers, and flipping me off with the one finger salute.

* * *

_3.16 PM_

_Rima's House_

It's official. I now hate that fucking crossdresser more than I use to. Mama's called me to wake me up, and I yelled at her. And swore at her. So sue me, I'm cranky in the morning. And earlier, Amu sent me a text. She said that we've to meet at her house by 4. And it is…I glance at the time and I snap up straight in my bed and yell, "Shit! 20 past 3!" Seeing that, I jump out of bed and run as fast as my tiny little legs can carry me - and as fast as my ability to run can take me.

After a quick wash, I dart out of the bathroom and I grab some polka dot pants, pink shorts, a lime yellow thin strap top and my new swimsuit - orange with red frills at the straps and legs. It's like a skirt. Kusukusu chattered off my ear to get this one. As soon as my hair is sorted - which took 10 minutes - I grab my bright, neon yellow beach bag - Mama got it for me for my 10th birthday. I liked it back then, now, I just don't care as long as I only take it with me when I'm with my friends - with my red towel, my music - which I'd picked out yesterday - and snacks - in case I don't like what everyone else brings - in it and I run out the door.

* * *

_3.59 PM_

_Amu's House_

Yes! One minute to spare! I throw open Amu's front door and stumble into the hall, gasping for air. I ran all the way here. And despite the fact that I'm shit at maths, I can tell that I was running at a hell of a speed to get to Amu's house, a hell of a distance from mine, in a hell of a short amount of time. So, once I've caught my breath, I throw off my pink and purple flip-flops, putting them in the large, unorganised pile with everyone else's, then walk into the living room, dragging my beach bag behind me.

"Ah, Rima! You've just made it." I turn and there's Amu, talking with Kukai and holding a notebook. I look around the room, seeing who's here. Everyone's here so far, except…

"Amu?"

"Hm?" she looks my way, currently talking to Yaya.

"Where's Fujisaki?" I ask. I am not actually going to say his name. Amu looks around as if she's just known that _he_ wasn't here.

"Well…I don't know," she tells me, walking over to Utau and writing something down in her notebook when Utau shows her a rather large bag. I shuffle over and peak inside from behind Amu's arm. Ramen. Typical. I plop down into the seat next to the idol and just watch Amu go around, talking to people and writing and checking stuff off on that book of hers. Eventually, she throws herself on to her couch, sighing, "And that's the last of it! Finally!" We just sit around now, talking in little groups - Kukai and Tadase, Utau and Yaya, me and…myself - while Amu's sitting relaxing. Then, about 4 or 5 minutes after 4, the door slams shut and someone too familiar shouts, "Sorry I'm late guys!" Amu jumps up, smiling.

"Nagi!" She runs over and opens the door, him falling into the room with no door to lean on. He stands straight and chuckles, scratching the back of his neck with his hand. In his other hand, he holds a white beach bag. He's wearing a dark blue t-shirt and light blue, Hawaii style shorts. He's also wearing those gay, dark blue headphones around his neck. Either that, or he was currently in the middle of a chara change with Rhythm that didn't affect his personality. Probably so he would be fast enough to get here.

"S-Sorry I'm late everyone. I slept in," he tells us all nervously.

"No thanks to me," I mutter to him when he sits next to me. However, the ignorant son of a bitch doesn't say anything, just sits there and listens to Amu while she explains who brought what.

"Okay everyone, let's just go over it. Kukai, beach games?" Kukai smiles, holding up a large supermarket bag. I can see some things poking out of them through little holes.

"Check." Amu smiles back, then turns to Yaya.

"Yaya, candy?" Yaya nods, holding up a…Halloween bag?

"Yaya has the candy~!" Amu nods.

"Utau, ramen?" Utau nods beside me, "Check. I have different kinds. Want to know?" she asks with a smile, holding up the bag with the ramen in it. Amu smiles nervously.

"N-not right now, thank you," she stutters. Utau drops the bag to the floor again, her smile falling into an indifferent frown.

"Tadase-kun, food?" Tadase smiles at her and nods.

"Yes, I have brought the food," he says in that very girly and, at this moment, annoying voice. Amu starts to go weak at the knees as the king is surrounded by sparkles. Who is he, fucking Edward Cullen of that shit Twilight series?

"G-Great. Ahem," Amu coughs, regaining herself.

"Rima, music?" I nod.

"Yes." There's this large awkward silence as they all wait for me to say something else. I see the crossdresser lift his hand. He nearly touches my shoulder when I turn my head to him, and jump to my feet, my eyes replaced with chibi flames.

"Don't you touch me!" I screech in a voice that could probably rival the devil's or maybe Tadase's when he's in a chara change. Na-the weird purple haired freak drops his hand and looks around nervously, before darting to an empty seat beside Kukai in between Amu's door and couch. Amu chuckles nervously and says, "A-ano, c-can I continue?" Wimp. I plop down onto my seat again, Utau shuffling over to the empty seat that was between her and Yaya when I did. Amu coughs then continues.

"Nagihiko, extra food and gear?" He nods. He opens his beach bag and pulls out a snorkel.

"I also packed some snorkelling gear in case some of would like to go diving." Amu's eyes light up.

"Great idea!" she gushes.

"That's our Nagi!" Kukai says, giving the freak a thumbs up. Na-the crossdresser flashes me a smirk. I merely flip him off. Kiss ass. Amu nods, and ticks something off on her notebook.

"Great, that's everything! And, I have some extra swimsuits, bikinis and shorts in case of any accidents. We're good to go!" Great, I thought I might just die of boredom.

* * *

_4.46 PM_

_Ikuto's Car, Expressway No. 28_

I know, I know. I can't believe it either. Who knew Ikuto could drive? Who knew he had a licence? Who knew he was actually a good driver? In fact…he's too good… He's staying in the lines, he's indicating, he's keeping both hands on the wheel - his knuckles are white, he's holding on that tight. He jumps whenever one of us makes a sound, that's for sure. I sneezed earlier and he jumped, parked the car by the barrier and turned around, screaming like someone had a bomb, "Who was that?" Utau sighed.

"Sorry everyone. Ikuto just passed his test and is trying to take it easy. So please, don't make a sound. If you can't help yourself, he won't judge you. Right?" she asked him, glaring daggers at the teen. Ikuto just panted nervously and turned back to the wheel. Don't make a sound, eh? That would probably explain why the radio's off. Normally, when Ikuto's in a car or a cab, he turns the radio up as loud as it'll go. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want the old, stalker, creepy, yet entertaining Ikuto back. I just hope we get him when he leaves this car. Which, if he isn't careful, will be our coffin. I glance at Amu and she smiles, and whispers, "I love this timid Ikuto. He's cute."

"QUIET!"

* * *

_5.07 PM_

_Kaze Cove_

Okay, so we finally get to Kaze Cove, in one piece, but bored stiff. Seriously, I can't move my arm. The one that was smooshed against Amu in an awkward angle. Kukai had also fallen asleep in the car, and he'd drooled all over my shoulder. Now, I have an Amu cramp and Kukai drool on my left shoulder.

"We're finally here!" Amu shouts.

"And in one piece," I mutter, giving my arm a shake. I glance over at Ikuto's 'car' - I seriously think 'junk on wheels' suits it better than 'car' - and watch, amazed, as Kukai, _him_, and - surprisingly - Tadase, gush over it. Ikuto's out of the 'car' now, and is a lot calmer. He's still a bit uptight and nervous, but overall, he's more relaxed. Utau's carrying all the stuff from the boot. She throws two of the - heaviest - bags to Kukai - who then stumbles under their weight and staggers over to the stairs - then sets the bags she's carrying down on the sand.

"Phew," she sighs, content, "That took a while. But we're here at last. Now, it's time for fun, sun and ramen!" She loves ramen way too much.

"Did you say ramen?" Kukai grunts, throwing the bags to the sand and bending backwards slightly. Geez, he's acting like an old man. Not a very pretty thought for someone who's the star and captain of the soccer team. Utau smiles. Creepily.

"Yep. Later, when we're all settling down and having something to eat, how about if you and me have a ramen eating contest?" she asks, this creepy, competitive glint in her eyes. Kukai smiles, the same look in his eyes.

"You're on!" I roll my eyes. Honestly, those two are hopeless. Utau always wins at ramen contests. And Kukai is always sick afterwards. I hear there was once an incident after a ramen contest that involved an exploding ambulance. After hearing that part, I didn't want to know anymore.

"Oi, Rima!" And the cause of my crankiness decides to make it worse. I turn around and the weird, mood-killing crossdresser asks, "So, what kind of music did you bring?"

"None of your fucking business," I tell him. He smirks.

"Now now Rima-chan, it isn't nice to swear," he scolds me, looking very amused. I glance at him from the corner of my eye, then I blink, looking at the waves again.

"Fuck fuck fuck, fuckity fuck fuck fuck. Now, get the fuck out of my face, fucking crossdresser," I tell him, feeling quite proud of myself. He only pouts, though he still looks quite amused.

"Well, I can play dirty too," he tells me slyly, getting a bit too close for comfort. I'm starting to feel a bit nervous. What is he doing? What is he going to do?

"You know," he whispers, his breath brushing my ear, "I think you're cute, but you are such…" he stops. Well, get on with it, I panic. Then, he smirks.

"…A fucking bitch," he hisses. I glance at him, and he looks pleased. I smirk back at him.

"Never knew you had the guts. I hate you, but I can't help but admit that I'm amazed…and proud," I tell him. He rolls his eyes, and smiles.

"Rima! Nagi!" We turn around to find that Amu and the others have already set everything up. Including a barbeque. Great. We're going to have another barbeque accident. It's the Mashiro Barbeque Curse. A Mashiro cannot go with 100 yards of a barbeque without it going up in flames. Which is why I'm staying over here, next to the waves. Despite the fact that the tide could come in and I could drown, seeing as how I can't swim. Fortunately, my hair acts as a buoyancy, so I don't exactly sink.

"Well, Rima. Let's go," the crossdresser tells me, going over to the dreaded monster. When I don't move, he turns and asks, "Something wrong?" I narrow my eyes at…_it_.

"I am not going near that beast," I tell him. He scoffs, rolling his eyes. Then, he starts to laugh.

"I'm serious!" I scream, "It's the Mashiro Barbeque Curse! If a Mashiro goes within 100 yards of a barbeque, it bursts into flames!" Then, a thought came to mind.

"Mind going within 100 yards of that thing?" I ask.

* * *

_6.01 PM_

_Kaze Cove_

Okay, I'm sitting here, I'm eating slightly charred sausages, and the barbeque - which is just arm's length away - is fine. Na-the freak even points this out oh so kindly.

"Hey Rima, I thought the Mashiro Barbeque Curse entailed a barbeque bursting into flames when a Mashiro gets within 100 yards. And here we are, 20 yards away, and it is surprisingly flame free," he says smugly. I remain emotionless, glance at the thing from the corner of my eye, then turn my head to it.

"Boo," I say, bored. Then, would you know it, it bursts into flames. I turn to everyone else and tell them, "You have to acknowledge it." I see the crossdresser scowl from the corner of my eye, and I smirk. Amu runs up to the thing, holding a bucket full of sea water, and tips it all out onto the barbeque, but not before Kukai and Ikuto save the last of the burgers and grilled fish. Amu sighs, looking at the burnt barbeque.

"Geez. This was a new barbeque," she moans. I pout.

"Well, in future, either don't get a barbeque or don't invite me. Me and barbeques do not get along," I tell her. She pouts back. Then, after another sigh, she smiles.

"Well, I think we should all get ready now, cause it's time to have fun in the sea," she giggles. Yaya jumps to her feet and yells, grabbing Utau's hand, "Let's go, Uta-shan!" Utau nods, however, she has no say in where she's going as Yaya's dragging her towards the changing hut. Amu sweatdrops, as do the others. Ikuto, though, seems to be finding his sister's position funny, since he is currently laughing, and his cat ears have popped out. This earns him a glare from said sister.

* * *

_6.09 PM_

_Kaze Cove Changing Hut, Girls' Side_

Oh.

My.

GOD! Amu's already got a bra! But we're only 12! Well, she is nearly 13, but still! Yaya and 'Uta-shan' seem to have noticed Amu's new accessory as well, and are quizzing her on it.

"When'd you get it?" Utau asks.

"Where?" Yaya asks. I glare at the girl. I know she's my best friend, but at this moment, I hate her. She's growing faster than me. Well, it's obvious that she is, seeing as how she's practically a kilometre taller than me, but still, I'm talking in the puberty section. I turn my glare from Amu to my own flat chest. Seriously, I hate it. If only I would grow at the same level as everyone else my age, both in size and in hormones.

"Sure, my chest is growing, but I'm going to hate it at some point, because my back is going to ache. Also, I'm dreading getting my period. As soon as she noticed my chest growing, Mama gave me, like, 10 books. And she gave a 1-hour explanation on what I'd go through," Amu complained. Hmm, maybe I don't want to go through puberty. If it's going to be that bad…

"Rima-chi, why are you scowling?" I turn to Yaya, and, unfortunately, I turn my glare to her too, making her cower in fear.

"R-R-Rima-chi is scary!" Pepe floats to Yaya's shoulder and nods.

"Yes-dechu," she babbles. Il and El float out of Utau's discarded jacket's pocket. Il starts teasing Kusukusu, and El starts going around, complaining about not being able to pick up 'love's reception'. I have no clue where Amu's chara's a- Wait…yep, Su's outside, not sure about the others.

ARRRGH! Just kill me now!

* * *

_6.13 PM_

_Kaze Cove, Musashi's Arm_

And, now that we're all in our swimsuits and bikinis - shorts for the boys - we're off to the east of the small beach. We're the only ones who know about this small cove. To the west, there's a large jungle, to the east, a large spire of rock sticking out to sea, separating us form the more public beach on the other side. We named everything after our charas. We named the rock - which we'd been having trouble naming before - 'Musashi's Arm' as tribute to Kairi and Musashi. There's a pier on the other side, and from a certain perspective, it looks like a samurai sword. So, it fit.

Last year, we had Kukai and the crossdresser climb up there and hammer in a rope ladder. I'm still scared of it. I swear, Na-the crossdresser did something to it and one of these days, it's going to do something that will end up hurting or killing me. I'm still scared today.

"Come on, Rima!" Amu shouts down to me from the top of the ladder. I scowl up at the top of the ladder, not at Amu - although I am a little jealous that she can wear such a pretty bikini…although I would never dare wear something like that revealing black and pink thing - but at the…_thing_ standing behind her, smirking at me.

"Something wrong, Rima-chan?" he asks me. Oh how I wish to wipe that smug smile off his smug face. Not wanting to have the crossdresser annoy me further, or give him more ammunition, I climb up the ladder. I try to take it slowly, but my will to piss off that fucking crossdresser is stronger than my fear of the ladder and what he may have done to it. As soon as I'm at the top, I go to punch him, only to have Amu 'Already-Has-A-Bra' Hinamori hold me back.

"Rima, please don't. You might fall off," she warns me. I peak over the edge and my stomach starts to flip. It's a long way down.

"Here," _he_ says, offering me a hand. I look up and he winks at me.

"Might as well help you," he tells me. I slap away his hand and retort, "I can walk along here just fine!" And, true to my word, I'm walking along to the edge myself. However, I didn't look over the edge. I'm scared shit. I stop near the tip and looked over, trembling. Then, without warning, Amu and Na-the freak dart past me and jump off. I'm nearly blown off myself. Everyone else is already in the water.

"Oi, Mashiro!" Kukai yells, waving to me.

"Come on in, Rima-chi! The water's fine!" Yaya yells, bobbing there in her ducky rubber ring and waving her arms in the air, her matching, ducky water wings visible to the other beach to my right. I start to walk backwards, definitely not jumping off. I'll just wade in from the beach. That is, that was my plan, until _he_ says, "What's the matter, Rima-chan? Scared?" I clench my fists and grind my teeth.

"I'll show you scared," I hiss under my breath. Then, running out and jumping off the edge, I shout to him, "I'll show you scared, you fucking crossdresser!"

Unfortunately, I did not think this through very well…

As soon as I hit the water, I start to sink. Shit, I definitely didn't think this through at all! I don't even have a will! Oh well, I can just do it like the movies; come back to haunt my friends and eventually write one while they're there. Oh shit, I'm starting to lose consciousness! My hair doesn't exactly help! I'm getting tangled up in it! I feel my leg scratch against something, but since I'm currently dying, I don't really care about that. Just then, I feel hands grab me. By now, my eyes are closed, and my hearing has gone fuzzy.

When I'm pulled from the water, I feel heavy and limp, and whoever's carrying me is obviously having a hard time doing it, because I can hear them grunting, despite my fucked up hearing. I feel sand beneath me as I'm put down and the hands disappear. Now, something's pushing against my chest. My flat chest - and no, just because I'm dying doesn't mean I'm letting it go. When I'm dead, I'm going to haunt Amu for longer and make her suffer simply because she went through puberty before me. Just now, the water, I can feel it coming up. What do I do, what do I do? I can't just-

I cough up all the water, drenching myse- Wait…the water didn't come back on me. Some of it is dripping on me, however…I open my eyes and I flinch, as the sun shines down on me. There is someone covering the sun, however not all of it, so a tiny sliver still reaches me, and leaves the person in shadow. So who saved me? And who did I just cough up water on to? The person moves over, covering the sun completely and letting me see them. I gasp.

"Na-Nagihiko!" Yep. The crossdresser. The crossdresser saved me. And I threw up water on him. Right now, his face is absolutely drenched - which I actually find funny - and he seems worried. He's also panting.

"Rima! You're okay! Thank god!" he sighs, relieved. I frown.

"Why would you care if I'm okay or not?" I ask, sitting up. He glares at me.

"I just do, okay. And besides, you had everyone worried, not just me. Hell, even Ikuto was worried," he screams at me, looking like a mixture of relieved and pissed off. I smirk.

"So even Ikuto was worried about me?" I ask rhetorically. Nagihiko growls.

"Yes! We all were!"

"Rima!" We turn to see Amu running up to us, holding a first aid kit with everyone else running behind her. Seeing me wide awake, Amu drops to the sand beside me and screams, crying, "Thank god you're okay!" Everyone else is running up, calling my name.

"Mashiro-san!"

"Rima-chi!"

"Oi, Mashiro!"

"Hey, Chibi!"

"Hey, you stupid wee bitch!" In order, Tadase, Yaya, Kukai, Ikuto and Utau. They all skid to a halt by me, panting. Yaya catches her breath first. Oh noes. Taking a deep gulp of breath, Yaya then glomps me, whining, "Rima-chi, why'd you do it? You could've gotten hurt! Or Rima-chi could've gotten killed! Then what would Yaya have done!" Kukai goes up to me, a serious face on for once.

"Seriously, you didn't have to do that. If you didn't want to jump, you could've just climbed back down and waded in." Yep, definitely the big brother figure. Acts like everyone's favourite when we're having fun, yet when we get in trouble, he's normally in trouble with us, unless the trouble worries him. Then, he scolds us.

"Mashiro-san, are you alright?" Tadase asks me. I nod.

"Mm. I'm fine," I tell him quietly. Utau scoffs, as does Ikuto. Geez, those two look too alike!

"I suppose you were too focussed on drowning to notice your leg then, huh?" I blink, confused.

"My leg?" I look down, and bite back a yelp of panic. There's a large gash down my left leg. And it's bleeding. And, just like the barbeque, as soon as I notice my injury, I feel the pain.

"Ah!" I scream, clutching my leg. The blood pours through my fingers, staining the sand. Amu panics too, as if she's just remembered why she brought the first aid kit. Or maybe she brought it in case I'd need it for another reason. Right now, I don't care, I just want the pain to stop. And…Oh my god, I'm starting to cry. In front of everyone too! I squeeze my eyes shut in pain.

"Make it stop!" I wail. Oh god, please no! I can hear Amu panicking. I open my eyes a crack and see her fiddling with everything in the kit. She finds the bandages, but is panicking so much, that she can't grip them properly. They eventually just fall to the ground. Amu lunges for them, however, she grabs the end, and when she tries to lift them to her, they just start to unravel. I hear Nagihiko growl.

"Fuck this!" he screams, then just picks me up - bridal style - surprising everyone, especially me.

"I packed a spare first aid kit. You guys help Amu pack away this one. I'll treat Rima back at the blankets." And then, without warning, or even waiting for a reply, he runs off. With me. It's taking a while, but at the same time, we're there in no time. I guess I've lost all sense of time in my pain. By the time we're at the blankets, it's still painful, but bearable. However, my wound is still bleeding. Speaking of which, Nagihiko chooses the worst blanket to set me down on. A pure white one. Well, now it's going to be a pure white, stained with red blood blanket. Then, he starts searching frantically through his bag. Geez, what's taking the others so long? Is it that hard to tidy up some bandages? Or is Amu throwing out more stuff in her panic?

"Rima." I jump, and turn around suddenly to see Nagihiko, still looking serious, holding out two aspirin and a bottle of water to me. I hesitate, making him growl, "Take them!" I jump again, and take them. I quickly swallow the aspirin, washing them - and their horrible taste - down with the water. However, I nearly spit out the water in surprise, shock and pain as Nagihiko grabs my leg. My injured leg.

"Hey! Be careful! That fucking hurts!" He glares at me.

"I know that! But I need to get the splint and the bandages on, so I need to hold it. Or would you prefer that I give you some anaesthesia to knock you out?" I blink, then ask, "Do you have some?" He growls, and ignores me. He just continues working. I watch him grab a splint from his oversized first aid kit - seriously, the one Amu had was like…a small square a chocolate from a large bar! - and place it against my leg. Against the painless bit. Then, he grabs the bandages and wraps them slowly round my leg, winding them up and covering up my wound. Once my wound is covered, and the wrappings are now quite thick, he grabs some tape and scissors, cuts the bandage roll and tapes down the wee tail bit.

"Rima!" I turn around, looking away from the crossdresser's handiwork - which, even I have to admit, is pretty impressive - to see Amu running towards me, with an open, empty first aid kit. I was about to ask where everything went, when everyone else comes into view. They're all holding the stuff. What, did Amu just go 'Screw this!' and start running, leaving everyone to pick up what falls? Apparently so. Seeing me with my leg all patched up, Amu sighs and throws the lunch box type thing towards the burnt barbeque corpse and the other bags.

"Rima, how's your leg?" she asks me, coming to a stop next to me. She looks down at the blanket, and her eyes widen at the sight of the drying blood drops, but she then shakes her head and turns back to me. Everyone else runs up and dumps their loads next o the discarded box, before joining us. I look at my leg, wiggle my toes, then say, turning back to her, "Its fine." However, just as I say that, pain shoots up my leg again, and I gave a wail of pain. Then everyone starts panicking again.

Amu: "I thought you said you were fine!"

Yaya: "Don't die, Rima-chi!"

Tadase: "Please, Yuiki-san. Mashiro-san isn't going to die."

Utau: "Oi, Souma, get some paracetamol and crush it into some ramen!"

Kukai: "Eh? Why?"

Ikuto: "For pain relief, obviously! What do you see in this idiot, Utau?"

Utau and Kukai: "Shut up, you!"

And during this mass chaos, something strange happened. Nagihiko grabs me, and holds me to his chest. I squirm a wee bit. He's got a tight grip. This is starting to get awkward now.

"O-Oi," I mutter. Nothing. At first, I don't think he heard me. But then, he chuckles, pulls me back, then flicks my head. I look at him, and am about to start complaining, when he smiles.

"Silly little girl. Don't do that again. Do you hear me?" I'm quiet. I look down, focusing more on my sand dotted thighs. Then, I smile, turn back to him, and nod.

"Okay."


End file.
